Harry Styles stopped his Saturday night concert at Madison Square Garden to speak to fans about the shooting of Oscar Belgal, a 28-year-old Dominican immigrant who was shot by federal immigration agents Thursday in New York City while his 5-year-old son sat in the back seat of his car.
“I just want us to take a moment to think about Oscar Belgal tonight, and I want us to think and remember to just look after each other,” Styles told the crowd.
“So, please, continue looking after each other,” he continued. “And remember, your friends, the people you love, the people who don’t look like you and aren’t born where you’re from, they deserve respect, and love, and dignity and justice.”
The comments drew criticism from film critic and commentator Christian Toto, who told Fox News Digital that speaking out against ICE has become a way for entertainers to win favor within their industry.
“This is the new black square on Instagram — speaking out on ICE gets you respect within your artistic community and endless positive press,” Toto said. “I think the mainstream media has far more impact on public opinion. Social media does, too. Celebrities weighing in on matters like this? I suspect it doesn’t move the needle at all. We view the stars as detached from our day-to-day lives, so we may agree with them on hot-button issues but they’re not winning any converts.”
Toto added that he believes celebrities who stay silent on such issues tend to fare better with their fan bases. “There’s an expectation within celebrity circles to embrace the cause du jour. The benefits are clear, and they’re never held responsible when history doesn’t align with their views. I suspect the stars who don’t speak out at all fare best with their fans,” he said.
What happened to Oscar Belgal
Belgal was shot after allegedly refusing to comply with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers who were conducting a targeted arrest operation. Federal officials said he accelerated his vehicle toward agents, who then opened fire. Officials said agents did not know Belgal’s 5-year-old son was in the car; the child was unharmed.
The shooting prompted protests and sharp criticism from New York City officials, including Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who said he personally urged President Trump to release Belgal.
“We know that ICE is rotten to its core. Today’s shooting is only further devastating confirmation of what we have long known…” Mamdani said at a Thursday night news conference.
Marcos Charles, a senior ICE official, defended the agents’ actions at a Friday news conference alongside Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “Our officers, using their training and believing that their life and the life of the partners and the general public were in danger, used their training and fired weapons,” Charles said.
The Department of Homeland Security said Belgal has a prior grand larceny conviction and previous arrests for assault, robbery, drug possession and weapons possession, and alleged he has ties to the Trinitarios street gang.
A federal judge temporarily blocked Belgal’s deportation Friday while his legal challenge to his detention proceeds. The New York Police Department has released body camera footage showing the aftermath of the shooting.
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